1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: Hey everyone, it's me Josh. Happy Halloween. Uh, we just 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: wanted to give you guys the heads up that Jerry 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: went all out with this Halloween episode and there is 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: a moment of surprisingly graphic violence. Is brief and it's quick, 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: but we just wanted to give a heads up to 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: all the people who are sensitive to violence and all 7 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: the parents. So at any rate, on with the show. 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff. You should know a production of I 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 1: Heart Radios, How Stuff Works, And welcome to the podcast. 10 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:50,319 Speaker 1: I'm Josh Clark. There's Charles w Spooktacular Bryant. I think 11 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: I would have had something better than that. And there's 12 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: Jerry over there. She's spooky all year round. So nothing 13 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: nothing different here, nothing different. How you do. I'm great. 14 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: I'm ready to get our Halloween read on. It's exciting. 15 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: This is how many years in a row? Oh? Man, 16 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:09,919 Speaker 1: I don't know. I think it goes back to something 17 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: like two thousand and ten, maybe, I think. And uh, 18 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: we don't want to pat ourselves in the back too much, 19 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: but we have made great efforts everyone to keep the 20 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: Halloween and Christmas episodes ad free at great peril. Oh yeah, 21 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: it's kind of like a constant clashing of swords against 22 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: our shields and saying back back Huskies, and we've we've 23 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 1: done a good job with it so far. That's right. 24 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: So we are you won't hear any ads on this 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: episode because that really kills the buzz of the mood. 26 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: You will hear those in our we're doing a shorty 27 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: Halloween reading. In fact, I think that came out just 28 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: prior to this one, and uh, we didn't fight that battle, 29 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: so sorry about that. Hopefully that was a nice little 30 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: warm up for this one though. Yeah, just get your primed. 31 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: And this year, Chuck, we're doing one by an amazing 32 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: author who hasn't been dead for a hundred and fifty years. 33 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: Philip K. Dick, that's right, who wrote Do Androids Dream 34 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: of Electric Sheep, which became Blade Runner, um A Scanner Darkly, 35 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: all sorts of amazing stuff, right, Uh, Minority Report, I think, 36 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: and this one. He also wrote a bunch of short 37 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: stories and this one I found was like in the 38 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: public domain, so I said, let's do Philip K. Dick. 39 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: That's right, he said, heck, yes, let's do Philip K. Dick, 40 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: because we don't want to get sued by the Dick foundation. No, 41 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: so we wanted to make sure that everyone knows this 42 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: is public domain. That's right. So, uh do you want 43 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: to get started? Uh? Yeah, who's We haven't discussed order 44 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: anything usually freewheel it. Do you have this thing segmented out? 45 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: Or you just want to knock me over the head 46 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: when I've gotten too far, I think we'll be able 47 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: to tell. And if not, you know, we'll just edit 48 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: out the roughness about that. Who's going to start? I'll start? Okay, 49 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: you're ready. I like the story, by the way. I 50 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: love it. It's good. By the way, This is The 51 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 1: Hanging Stranger by Phil up k Dick. At five o'clock, 52 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: ed Lewis washed up, tossed on his hat and coat, 53 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: got his car out, and headed across town towards his 54 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: TV sales store. He was tired. His back and shoulders 55 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: ached from digging dirt out of the basement and wheeling 56 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 1: it into the backyard, but for a forty year old man, 57 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: he had done okay. Janet could get a new vase 58 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: with the money he saved, and he liked the idea 59 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: of repairing the foundations himself. It was getting dark. The 60 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: setting sun cast long rays over the scurrying commuters, tired 61 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: and grim faced women loaded down with bundles and packages, 62 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: students swarming home from the university, mixing with clerks and 63 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: businessmen and drab secretaries. He stopped his packard for a 64 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: red light and then started it up again. The store 65 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: had been open without him. He arrived just in time 66 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: to spell the help for dinner, go over the records 67 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: of the day, maybe even close a couple of sales himself. 68 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: He drove slow. He passed the small square of green 69 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: in the center of the street, the town park. There 70 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: were no parking places in front of Lois TV Sales 71 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: and Service. He cursed under his breath and swung the 72 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: car in a U turn. Again, he passed the little 73 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 1: square of green with its lonely drinking fountain and bench 74 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: and single lamp post. From the lamp post, something was hanging, 75 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 1: a shapeless, dark bundle, swinging a little with the wind, 76 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: like a dummy of some sort. Lois rolled down his 77 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: window and peered out. What the hell was it? A 78 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: display of some kind. Sometimes the Chamber of Commerce put 79 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 1: up displays in the square. Again, he made a U 80 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: turn and brought his car around. He passed the park 81 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: and concentrated on the dark bundle. It wasn't a dummy, 82 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: and if it was a display, it was a strange kind. 83 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: The hackles on his neck rose and he swallowed uneasily. 84 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: Sweat slid out on his face and hands. It was 85 00:04:53,360 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: a body, a human body. Han, that's you, buddy, all right, 86 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: So TV salesman, I'm really glad his wife is gonna 87 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: be able to buy that new vase. Sure. I thought 88 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: that was a weird detail too, because he's digging out 89 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: the foundation of his house, which I think is is 90 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: that a red herring? We'll find out. We'll find out. 91 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: Look at it, Lloyd snapped, Come on out here. Don 92 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: Ferguson came slowly out of the store, buttoning his pin 93 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: striped coat with dignity. This is a big deal, Ed. 94 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: I can't just leave the guy standing there, see it, 95 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: Ed pointed into the gathering gloom, the lamp post jutted 96 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: up against the sky, the post and the bundle swinging 97 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: from it. There it is. How the hell long has 98 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: it been there? His voice rose excitedly. What's wrong with everybody? 99 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: They just walk on past? Don Ferguson lit a cigarette. Slowly, 100 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: take it easy, old man, there must be a good reason, 101 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: or it wouldn't be there. A reason, kind of a reason. 102 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: Ferguson shrugged, like the time the traffic Safety Council put 103 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: that wrecked buick there, some sort of civic thing. How 104 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: would I know, Geez, Ferguson's uptight. Yeah, yeah, a little uptight. 105 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: Shir Jack Potter from the shoe shop joined them. What's up, boys, 106 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: there's a body hanging from the lamp post. Lloy said, 107 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: I'm going to call the cops, and they must know 108 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: about it, Potter said, or otherwise it wouldn't be there. 109 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: I got to get back in. Ferguson headed back into 110 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:36,840 Speaker 1: the store. Business before Pleasure Lois began to get hysterical. 111 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: You see it, You see it hanging there, A man's body, 112 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: a dead man. Sure, Ed, I saw it this afternoon 113 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: when I went out for coffee. You mean it's been 114 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 1: there all afternoon? Sure, what's the matter? Potter glanced at 115 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 1: his watch. Have to run see you later, ed. Potter 116 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: hurried off, joining the flow of people moving along the sidewalk, 117 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: men and women passing by the park. A few glanced up, 118 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: curious at the dark bundle, and then went on. Nobody 119 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: stopped nobody paid any attention. Very good check. That was 120 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: really good. Yeah, apparently no one is concerned about this 121 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: person hanging there, but ed Llois, which is a little 122 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: weird if you think about it. I'm going nuts, Lowis whispered. 123 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: He made his way to the curb and crossed out 124 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: into traffic. Among the cars, horns honked angrily at him. 125 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: He gained the curb and stepped up onto the little 126 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: square of green. The man had been middle aged. His 127 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: clothing was ripped and torn, a gray suit, splashed and 128 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: caked with dried mud. A stranger. Lewis had never seen 129 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: him before, not a local man. His face was partly 130 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: turned away, and in the evening win he spun a little, 131 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: turning gently silently. His skin was gouged and cut, red, gashes, 132 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: deep scratches of congealed blood. A pair of steel rimmed 133 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: glasses hung from one ear, dangling foolishly. His eyes bulged, 134 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: his mouth was open, tongue thick and ugly blue. For 135 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,239 Speaker 1: heaven's sake, Llois muttered, sickened. He pushed down his nausea 136 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: and made his way back to the sidewalk. He was 137 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: shaking all over with revulsion and fear. Why, who was 138 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: the man, why was he hanging there? What did it mean? 139 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: And why didn't anybody notice? He bumped into a small 140 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: man hurrying along the sidewalk. Watch it, the man grated, 141 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 1: Oh it's you. Ed, Ed nodded dazedly, Hello, Jenkins, what's 142 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: the matter. The stationary clerk caught Ed's arm. You look 143 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: sick the body there in the park. Sure, Ed Jenkins 144 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: led him into the alcove of Loys TV Sales and Service. 145 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: Take it easy, Margaret Henderson, from the jewelry store joined them. 146 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: Something wrong. Ed's not feeling well? Lois yanked himself free. 147 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: How can you stand here? Don't you see it? For 148 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: God's sake, what's he talking about? Margaret asked nervously. The body, 149 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: Edge shouted the body hanging there? More people collected. Is 150 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: he sick? Is Ed? Lloys? You okay? Yet? The body? 151 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: Lloys screamed, Struggling to get past them, hands caught at him. 152 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: He tore loose, Let me go the police, Get the police. 153 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: Ed better, get a doctor. He must be sick or drunk. 154 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: Loys fought his way through the people. He stumbled and 155 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: half fell through a blur. He saw rows of faces, 156 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: curious concerned, anxious men and women halting to see what 157 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: the disturbance was. He fought past them towards his store. 158 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: He could see Ferguson inside talking to a man showing 159 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: him an Emerson TV set, Pete Foley in the back 160 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: of the service counter setting up a new fil COO. 161 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: Lloys shouted at them frantically. His voice was lost in 162 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: the roar of traffic and the murmuring around him. Do something, 163 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 1: he screamed, don't stand there, do something. Something's wrong, something's happened, 164 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: things are going on. The crowd melted respectfully for the 165 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: two heavy set cops moving efficiently towards Lois Man. No 166 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: one's listening to Lois. He's also losing his bananas. Yeah, 167 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: as they say, I think I would have handled a 168 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: little differently. But what would you have done? I don't know. 169 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not judging it. Llois. Alright, alright, So 170 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: the cops are approaching. Here, here we come. Name the 171 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: cop with the notebook, murmured Lois. He mopped his head wearily. 172 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: Edward CLIs, listen to me back there, address, the cop demanded. 173 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: The police car moved swiftly through traffic, shooting among the 174 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: cars and busses. Lois sagged against the seat, exhausted and confused. 175 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: He took a deep, shuddering breath. Eight Hurst Road, that's 176 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: here in Pikeville. That's right. Lis pulled himself up with 177 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: a violent effort. Listen to me back there in the square, 178 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: hanging from the lamp post. Where where are you today? 179 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: The cop behind the wheel demanded where. Leois echoed, You 180 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: weren't in your shop. Where are you? No, he shook 181 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: his head. No, I was at home, down in the basement, 182 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: in the basement, digging a new foundation, getting out the 183 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: dirt to poor submit frame. Why what has this got 184 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: to do with Was anybody else down there with you? No? 185 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: My wife was downtown, my kids were at school. Lois 186 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: looked from one heavy set cop to the other. Hope 187 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: flickered across his face. Wild, hope you mean because I 188 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: was down there, I missed the explanation. I didn't get 189 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: in on it like everybody else. After a pause, the 190 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: cop with the notebook said, that's right, you missed the explanation. 191 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: Then it's official. The body is is supposed to be 192 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 1: hanging there. It's supposed to be hanging there for everybody 193 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 1: to see. Ed, Lloys grinned weekly good lord. I guess 194 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: I sort of went off the deep end. I thought 195 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: maybe something had happened, you know, something like the Ku 196 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: Klux Klan, some kind of violence, communist or fascist taking over. 197 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: He why his face with his breast, pocket handkerchief, his 198 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: hands shaking. I'm glad to know what's on the level. 199 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: It's on the level. The police car was getting near 200 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: the Hall of Justice. The sun had set, the streets 201 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: were gloomy and dark. The lights had not yet come on. 202 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 1: I feel better, Lloys said. I was pretty excited there 203 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,719 Speaker 1: for a minute. I guess I got all stirred up. 204 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 1: Now that I understand, there's no need to take me in, 205 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: is there? The two cops said, nothing very nice. You're ready? Yeah, 206 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 1: it's eating up. I know you're a tough act to follow, 207 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: but here I go. I should be back at my store. 208 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: The boys haven't had dinner. I'm all right now. No 209 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: more trouble, is there any need of This won't take long. 210 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 1: The cop behind the wheel interrupted a short process, only 211 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: a few minutes. I hope it's short, Lloys muttered. The 212 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: car slowed down for a stoplight. I guess I sort 213 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: of disturbed the peace funny getting excited like that, and 214 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: Loy's yanked the door open and he sprawled out into 215 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: the street and rolled to his feet. Cars were moving 216 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: all around him, gaining speed as the light change. Loyce 217 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: leaped onto the curb and raced among the people, burrowing 218 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: into the swarming crowds. Behind him, he heard sounds, shouts, 219 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: people running. They weren't cops. He'd realize that right away. 220 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: He knew every cop in Pike Bill. A man couldn't 221 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: own a store, operate a business in a small town 222 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,559 Speaker 1: for twenty five years without getting to know all the cops. 223 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: They weren't cops, and there hadn't been any explanation Potter 224 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: Ferguson Jenkins. None of them knew why it was there. 225 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 1: They didn't know, and they didn't care. That was the 226 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: strange part. Lloyd stucked into a hardware store. He raced 227 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: toward the back, past the startled clerks and customers, into 228 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: the shipping room and through the back door. He tripped 229 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 1: over a garbage camp and ran up a flight of 230 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: concrete steps. He climbed over a fence and jumped down 231 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: on the other side, gasping and panting. There was no 232 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: sound behind him. He had gotten away. I think it's 233 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: back to you, man, all right. So he made a 234 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: run for it, he did, and now he's kind of 235 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: safe for the moment. For the moment. He was at 236 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: the entrance of an alley, dark and strewn with boards 237 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: and ruined boxes and tires. He could see the street 238 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: at the far end. A street light wavered and came 239 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: on men and women stores, neon signs. Cars. Into his 240 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: right the police station. He was close, terribly close, past 241 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: the loading platform of a grocery store, rose the white 242 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: concrete side of the Hall of Justice, barred windows, the 243 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:49,479 Speaker 1: police antenna, a great concrete wall rising up in the darkness, 244 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: A bad place for him to be near. He was 245 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: too close. He had to keep moving, get farther away 246 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: from them. Them loys moved cautiously down the alley. Beyond 247 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: the police station was the City Hall, the old fashioned 248 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 1: yellow structure of wood and gilded brass and broad cement steps. 249 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: He could see the endless rows of offices, dark windows, 250 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: the cedars and beds of flowers on each side of 251 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: the entrance, and something else. Above the City Hall was 252 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: a patch of darkness, a cone of gloom, denser than 253 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: the surrounding night, a prism of black that spread out 254 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: and was lost into the sky. Weird, I know, very weird. 255 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: He listened. Good God, he could hear something, something that 256 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: made him struggle frantically to close his ears, his mind 257 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: to shut out the sound. A buzzing, a distant, muted hum, 258 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: like a great swarm of bees. Oh boy, things are 259 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: getting bad. It is. Whenever you see a cone of 260 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: gloom denser than the surrounding night, that's not a good sign. 261 00:15:54,640 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: All right, go ahead. Bloys gazed up, rigid with horror, 262 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: the splotch of darkness hanging over City Hall, darkness so 263 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: thick it seemed almost solid in the vortex. Something moved, 264 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: flickering shapes, things descending from the sky, pausing momentarily above 265 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: the City Hall, fluttering over it in a dense swarm, 266 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 1: and then dropping silently on to the roof. Shapes, fluttering 267 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: shapes from the sky from the crack of darkness that 268 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: hung above him. He was seeing them for a long time. 269 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: Lois watched, crouched behind a sagging fence in a pool 270 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: of scummy water. They were landing, coming down in groups, 271 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: landing on the roof of the City Hall and disappearing inside. 272 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: They had wings, like giant insects of some kind. They 273 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: flew and fluttered and came to rest, and then crawled 274 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: crab fashioned sideways across the roof and into the building. 275 00:16:55,480 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: He was sickened and fascinated. Cold night wind loo around him, 276 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: and he shuddered. He was tired days with shock. On 277 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 1: the front steps of the City Hall, where men standing here, 278 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: and there groups of men coming out of the building 279 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: and halting for a moment before going on. Were there 280 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: more of them? It didn't seem possible. What he saw 281 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: descending from the black chasm weren't men. They were alien 282 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: from some other world, some other dimension, sliding through the slit, 283 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,640 Speaker 1: this break in the shell of the universe, entering through 284 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: this gap, winged insects from another realm of being. That's 285 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 1: me hitting the tennis ball back to you. This is 286 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: uh is getting pretty scary. I think so too. I mean, 287 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: now we've got winged insect aliens coming from a chasm 288 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: in the sky onto city Hall, or do we just 289 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 1: have a man losing his mind. That's a really good question, Chuck. 290 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: Let's explore that further. On the steps of the city Hall, 291 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: group of men broke up. A few moved toward a 292 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,159 Speaker 1: waiting car. One of the remaining shapes started to re 293 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: enter the city hall. It changed its mind and turned 294 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: to follow the others. Loy's closed his eyes in horror. 295 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 1: Since is reeled. He hung on tight, clutching at the 296 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: sagging fence. The shape, the man shape, had abruptly fluttered 297 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 1: up and flapped after the others. It flew to the 298 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: sidewalk and came to rest among them. Pseudo men imitation men, 299 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: insects with ability to disguise themselves as men, like other 300 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: insects familiar to earth protective coloration mimicry. Loys pulled himself away. 301 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 1: He got slowly to his feet. It was night. The 302 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: alley was totally dark, but maybe they could see in 303 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: the dark. Maybe darkness made no difference to them. He 304 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: left the alley cautiously and moved out onto the street. 305 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: Men and women flowed past, but not so many. Now 306 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: At the bus stops stood waiting groups. A huge bus 307 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: lumbering along the street, its lights flashing in the evening gloom. 308 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 1: Loys moved forward. He pushed his way among those waiting, 309 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 1: and when the bus halted, he boarded it and took 310 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: a seat in the rear by the door. A moment later, 311 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 1: the bus moved into life and rumbled down the street. 312 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: Loys relaxed a little. He studied the people around him, dull, 313 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: tired faces, people going home from work, quite ordinary faces. 314 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: None of them paid any attention to him. All sat quietly, 315 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: sunk down in their seats, jiggling with the motion of 316 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 1: the bus. The man sitting next to him unfolded a newspaper. 317 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,719 Speaker 1: He began to read the sports section, his lips moving. 318 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 1: An ordinary man, blue suit tie, a businessman or a salesman, 319 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: on his way home to his wife and family. Cross 320 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 1: the aisle. A young woman perhaps twenty, dark eyes and hair, 321 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: a package on her lap, nyelons and heels, red coat 322 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: and white Angora sweater, gazing absently ahead of her. A 323 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,120 Speaker 1: high school boy why in jeans and black jacket. A great, 324 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 1: triple chinned woman with an immense shopping bag loaded with 325 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 1: packages and parcels, her face dim with weariness. Ordinary people, 326 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: the kind that rode the bus every evening, going home 327 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 1: to their families to dinner. Well, you can make riding 328 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: the bus home to dinner sounds sinister check. Going home 329 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: with their minds, dead controlled, filmed over with the mask 330 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: of an alien being that had appeared and taken possession 331 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 1: of them, their town, their lives. Himself too, except that 332 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: he had happened to be deep in his cellar instead 333 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: of in the store. Somehow he had been overlooked. They 334 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: had missed him. Their control wasn't perfect, foolproof. Maybe there 335 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: were others. Hope flickered in Loi's They weren't omnipotent. They 336 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: had made a mistake, not gotten control of him. Their net, 337 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,360 Speaker 1: their field of control, had passed over him. He had 338 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: emerged from his cellar as he had gone down. Apparently 339 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: their power zone was limited. A few seats down the aisle, 340 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: a man was watching him. Lois broke off his chain 341 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: of thought. A slender man with dark hair and a 342 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 1: small mustache, well dressed, brown suit, shiny shoes, a book 343 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:29,160 Speaker 1: between his small hands. He was watching Loyce, studying him intently. 344 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:34,719 Speaker 1: He quickly turned away. Lois tensed one of them or 345 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 1: another they had missed. The man was watching him again, small, 346 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,719 Speaker 1: dark eyes, alive and clever, shrewd, A man too shrewd 347 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 1: for them, or one of the things, an alien insect 348 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: from beyond the bus halted. An elderly man got on 349 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: slowly and dropped his token into the box. He moved 350 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: down the aisle and took a seat opposite Lois. The 351 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 1: elderly man caught the sharp eyed man's gaze for a 352 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: split second. Something passed between them, a look rich with meaning. 353 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: Lois got to his feet. The bus was moving. He 354 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 1: ran to the door one stepped down into the well. 355 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: He yanked the emergency door release. The rubber door swung open. Hey, 356 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,880 Speaker 1: the driver shouted, jamming on his brakes. What the hell? 357 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: I just wanted to keep reading until I got to say, Hell, 358 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 1: you don't need you to take over? Okay? Lloys squirmed through. 359 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: The bus was slowing down. Houses on all sides, a 360 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: residential district, lawns and tall apartment buildings behind him, the 361 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: bright eyed man had leapt up. The elderly man was 362 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 1: also on his feet. They were coming after him. Leis leaped. 363 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: He hit the pavement with terrific force and rolled against 364 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: the curb. Pain lapped over him, pain and a vast 365 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: tide of blackness. Desperately, he fought it off. He struggled 366 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: to his knees and then slid down again. The bus 367 00:22:56,119 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: had stopped. People were getting off. Lois groped around, his 368 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: fingers closed over something, a rock lying in the gutter. 369 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 1: He crawled to his feet, grunting with pain. A shape 370 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: loomed before him, a man, the bright eyed man with 371 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: a book. Lois kicked. The man gasped and fell. Lois 372 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: brought the rock down. The man screamed and tried to 373 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: roll away. Stop, for God's sakes, listen. He struck again, 374 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: hideous crunching sound. The man's voice cut off and dissolved 375 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: in a bubbling wail. Leois scrambled up and back. The 376 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 1: others were there now, all around him. He ran awkwardly 377 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 1: down the sidewalk up a driveway. None of them followed him. 378 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 1: They had stopped and were bending over the inert body 379 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: of the man with the book, the bright eyed man 380 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: who had come after him. Had he made a mistake, 381 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: But it was too late to worry about that. He 382 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 1: had to get out away from them, out of Pikeville, 383 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: beyond the crack of darkness, the rent between their world 384 00:23:55,080 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: and his. He really shakes off a possible murder pretty easy. 385 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: Do you like to worry about that? That's in my past? 386 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 1: Happened ten seconds ago. I got to move forward, and 387 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: Janet Looys backed away nervously. What is it? What ed? 388 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,199 Speaker 1: Lloys slammed the door behind him and came into the 389 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:19,360 Speaker 1: living room, pulled down the shades quick. Janet moved toward 390 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: the window. But do as I say. Who else is 391 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 1: here beside you? Nobody? Just the twins. They're upstairs in 392 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 1: their room. What happened? You look so strange? Why are 393 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 1: you home? Do you like the new vase? I pointed, 394 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: with the money we saved, find the foundation work you did, 395 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: and locked the front door. He prowled around the house 396 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,119 Speaker 1: into the kitchen. From the drawer under the sink, he 397 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: slit out the big butcher knife and ran his finger 398 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: along it. Sharp, plenty sharp. He returned to the living room. 399 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: Listen to me, he said, I don't have much time. 400 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 1: They know I escaped, and they'll be looking for me. Escaped. 401 00:24:56,000 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: Janet's face twisted with bewilderment and fear. Who the town 402 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: has been taken over. They're in control. I've got it 403 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: pretty well figured out. They started at the top at 404 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: the city hall, in police department. What they did with 405 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 1: the real humans? They what are you talking about? We've 406 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: been invaded? From some other universe, some other dimension. Their insects, 407 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 1: mimicry and more power to control our minds, your mind, 408 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 1: my mind, their entrances here. I think this is the 409 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 1: role you were born to play. Thank you, Janet Leois, 410 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 1: Janet Leois. Their entance is here in Pikeville. They've taken 411 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: over all of you, the whole town except me. We're 412 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 1: up against an incredibly powerful enemy. But they have their limitations. 413 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: That's our hope. They're limited, they can make mistakes. Janet 414 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: shook her head. I don't understand ed. You must be insane. Insane, No, 415 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 1: just lucky. If I hadn't been down in the basement, 416 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 1: i'd be like all the rest of you. Lois peered 417 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: around the window, but I can't stand here talking. Get 418 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: your coat, my coat. We're getting out of here, out 419 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: of Pikesville. We've got to help to fight this thing. 420 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,199 Speaker 1: They can be beaten. They're not infallible. It's going to 421 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 1: be close, but we may make it if we hurry. 422 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: Come on, he grabbed her arm roughly, Get your coat 423 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: and call the twins. We're all leaving. Don't stop to pack. 424 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: There's no time for that. White faced, his wife moved 425 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: toward the closet and got down her coat. Where are 426 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: we going? Ed pulled open the desk drawer and spilled 427 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: the contents out onto the floor. He grabbed up a 428 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,159 Speaker 1: road map and spread it open. To have all the 429 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,919 Speaker 1: highways covered, of course, but there's a back road to 430 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 1: oak growth. I got onto it once. It's practically abandoned. 431 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,679 Speaker 1: Maybe they'll forget about it. The old ranch road. Good lord, 432 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: it's completely closed. Nobody's supposed to drive over it, I know. 433 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: Ed thrust the map grimly in his coat. That's our 434 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 1: best chance. Now call down the twins and let's get going. 435 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 1: Your collar is full of gas, isn't it. Janet was dazed. 436 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:03,919 Speaker 1: Should I keep going? Oh man, keep going? The chevy? 437 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:08,119 Speaker 1: I d n Philip yesterday afternoon. Janet moved towards the stairs, 438 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 1: and I call the twins. Ed unlocked the front door 439 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: and peered out. Nothing stirred, no sign of life. All right, 440 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 1: so far, come on downstairs, Janet called, in the wavering voice. 441 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,919 Speaker 1: We're going out for a while. Now let me do 442 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: a different one for Tommy. Now. Tommy's voice came. Hurry up, ed, bark, 443 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: get down here, both of you. Tommy appeared at the stairs, 444 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:37,200 Speaker 1: I'm just doing my homework. We're starting fractions. Miss Parker says. 445 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: If we don't get this done, you can forget about fractions. 446 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,199 Speaker 1: Ed grabbed his son as he came down the stairs 447 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:45,880 Speaker 1: and propelled him toward the door. Where's Jim, he's coming. 448 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: Jim started slowly down the stairs. What's up, dirt, We're 449 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: going for a ride, a ride where Ed turned to Janet. 450 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,640 Speaker 1: We'll leave all the lights on and the TV set. 451 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: Go turn it on. He pushed her towards the set 452 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:03,199 Speaker 1: so they'll think are still. He heard the buzz and 453 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:07,400 Speaker 1: dropped instantly. The long butcher knife out sickened. He saw 454 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,120 Speaker 1: it coming down the stairs at him, wings, a blur 455 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:13,159 Speaker 1: of motion as it aimed itself. It still bore a 456 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: vague resemblance to Jimmy. It was small, a baby one. 457 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 1: A brief glimpse the thing hurtling at him, cold, multi 458 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: lensed inhuman eyes, wings, bodies still clothed in the yellow 459 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: T shirt and jeans, the mimic outline still stamped on it, 460 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,160 Speaker 1: a strange half turn of its body as it reached him. 461 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:37,879 Speaker 1: What was it doing? A stinger? Lois stabbed wildly at it. 462 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 1: It retreated buzzing frantically, Lois rolled and crawled toward the door. 463 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: Tommy and Janet stood still as statues, faces blank, watching 464 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 1: without expression. Lois stabbed again. This time the knife connected. 465 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: The thing shrieked and faltered. It bounced against the wall 466 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: and fluttered down. Something lapped through his mind, a wall 467 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: of force energy, an alien mind probing in to him. 468 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: He was suddenly paralyzed. The mind entered his own, touched 469 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: against him, briefly, shockingly and utter, alien presence settling over him, 470 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: and then it flickered out. As the thing collapsed in 471 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 1: a broken heap on the rug. It was dead. He 472 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: turned it over with his foot. It was an insect, 473 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: a fly of some kind, yellow T shirt, jeans, his son, Jimmy. 474 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 1: He closed his mind tight. It was too late to 475 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: think about that. Savagely, he scooped up his knife and 476 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 1: headed toward the door. Janet and Tommy stood stone still, 477 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: neither of them moving. The car was out. He'd never 478 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: get through. They'd be waiting for him. It was ten 479 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: miles on foot, ten long miles over rough ground, gullies 480 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 1: and open fields and hills of uncut forest. He'd have 481 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: to go alone. Lois opened the door. For a brief second, 482 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: he looked back at his wife and son. Then he 483 00:29:54,480 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 1: slammed the door behind him and raced down the porch steps. Man, 484 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: it is really quick to kill and move on, all right, 485 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: Too late for that. Let's move yep, stab and forget, 486 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: stab and forget um okay. A moment later he was 487 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 1: on his way, hurrying swiftly through the darkness towards the 488 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: edge of town. The early morning sunlight was blinding. Lois halted, 489 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: gasping for breath, swaying back and forth. Sweat ran down 490 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 1: in his eyes. His clothing was torn, shredded by the 491 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: brush and thorns through which he had crawled ten miles 492 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: on his hands and knees, crawling creeping through the night. 493 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 1: His shoes were mud kicked. He was scratched and limping, 494 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: utterly exhausted. But ahead of him lay oak growth. He 495 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: took a deep breath and started down the hill. Twice, 496 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: he stumbled and fell, picking himself up and trudging on. 497 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: His ears rang. Everything receded and wavered, but he was there. 498 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: He had gotten out away from Pikeville. A farmer in 499 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 1: a field gaped at him. From my house. A young 500 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 1: woman watched in wonder. Leois reached the road and turned 501 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: onto it. Ahead of him was a gas station and 502 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:16,479 Speaker 1: a drive in, a couple of trucks, some chickens pecking 503 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 1: in the dirt, a dog tied with a string. The 504 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 1: white clad attendant watched suspiciously as he dragged himself up 505 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: to the station. Thank god he caught ahold of the wall. 506 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: I didn't think I was going to make it. They 507 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: followed me most of the way. I could hear them buzzing, buzzing, 508 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: and flitting around behind me. What happened? The intendant demanded, 509 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: you in a wreck? Hold up? Leis shook his head weirdly. 510 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 1: They have the whole town, the city hall, and the 511 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: police station. They hung a man from the lamp post, 512 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: and that was the first thing I saw. They got 513 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 1: all the roads blocked. I saw them hovering over the 514 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 1: cars coming in about four this morning. I got beyond them. 515 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 1: I knew it right away. I could feel them leave, 516 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 1: and then the sun came up. The attendant licked his 517 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:07,960 Speaker 1: lips nervously. You're out of your head. I better get 518 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 1: a doctor. Give me and oh, crow voice gasped. He 519 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 1: sank down on the gravel. We've got to get started 520 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: cleaning them out. Gotta get started right away, onto you chuckers. 521 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: He kept a tape recorder going all the time he talked. 522 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 1: When he had finished, the commissioner snapped off the recorder 523 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 1: and got to his feet. He stood for a moment, 524 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: deep in thought. Finally he got out his cigarettes and 525 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: lit up slowly, a frown on his beefy face. You 526 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: don't believe me, Lois said. The commissioner offered him a cigarette. 527 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: Vois pushed it impatiently. Away, suit yourself. The commissioner moved 528 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 1: over to the window and stood for a time looking 529 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 1: out at the town of Oak Grove. I believe you, 530 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: he said, abruptly, voice act. Thank god, so you got away. 531 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: The commissioner shook his head. You were down in your 532 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: cellar instead of at work. A freak chance. One in 533 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: a million. Boy sipped some of the black coffee they 534 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: had brought him. I have a theory, he murmured. What 535 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 1: is it about them? Who they are? They take over 536 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: one area at a time, starting at the top the 537 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: highest level of authority, working down from there in a 538 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 1: widening circle. When they're firmly in control, they go on 539 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 1: to the next town. They spread slowly very gradually. I 540 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: think it's been going on for a long time. EDGs 541 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 1: really filling in the blanks. Heredney, he really is. He's 542 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: got it all figured out a long time, thousands of years. 543 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: I don't think it's new. Why do you say that. 544 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 1: When I was a kid, a picture they showed us 545 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 1: in Bible League, a religious picture, an old print the 546 00:33:55,520 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 1: enemy gods defeated by Jehovah, Molok be els Abu, moab 547 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,720 Speaker 1: Baalin ash tar Off, Chuck. I think you just raised 548 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: a bunch of demons. So they were all represented by figures. 549 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,799 Speaker 1: Lais looked up at the commissioner. B l Zebub was 550 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 1: represented as a giant fly. Don't don't do. The commissioner 551 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: grunted an old struggle. Don't don't do. They've been defeated. 552 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:31,360 Speaker 1: The Bible is an account of their defeats. They make gains, 553 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:36,240 Speaker 1: but finally they're defeated. Why defeated? They can't get everyone 554 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 1: if they didn't get me, and they never got the Hebrews. 555 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,759 Speaker 1: The Hebrews carried the message to the whole world, the 556 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: realization of the danger. The two men on the bus, 557 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 1: I think they understood had escaped like I did. He 558 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 1: clinched his fists. I killed one of them. I made 559 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 1: a mistake. I was afraid to take a chance. The 560 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:58,879 Speaker 1: commissioner nodded, Yes, they undoubtedly had escaped, as you did 561 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: freak accidents, but the rest of the town was firmly 562 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 1: in control. He turned from the window. Well, mister Loys, 563 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 1: you seem to have figured everything out. Not everything. The 564 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:12,880 Speaker 1: hanging man, the dead man hanging from the lamp post. 565 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:17,239 Speaker 1: I don't understand that. Why Why did they deliberately hang 566 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:22,960 Speaker 1: him there? That would seem simple. The commissioner smiled faintly. Bait. 567 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:27,880 Speaker 1: Lloyd stiffened, his heart stopped beating. Bait, What do you 568 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 1: mean to draw you out? Make you declare yourself, so 569 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,840 Speaker 1: they'd know who was under control and who had escaped. 570 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:43,040 Speaker 1: Vois recoiled with horror. Then they expected failures, They anticipated 571 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 1: he broke off. They were ready with a trap, and 572 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 1: you showed yourself. You reacted, you made yourself known. The 573 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:55,160 Speaker 1: commissioner abruptly moved toward the door. Come along, Lois. There's 574 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 1: a lot to do. We must get moving. There's no 575 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 1: time to waste. Lloys started slowly to his feet, numbed, 576 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:05,080 Speaker 1: and the man who was the man I never saw 577 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 1: him before. He wasn't a local man. He was a stranger, 578 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,640 Speaker 1: all muddy and dirty, his face cut slashed. There was 579 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 1: a strange look on the Commissioner's face as he answered maybe, 580 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 1: He said softly, you'll understand that too. Come along with me, 581 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 1: Mr Loys. He held the door open, his eyes gleaming. 582 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:27,360 Speaker 1: Loys caught a glimpse of the street in front of 583 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 1: the police station. Policeman, a platform of some sort, a 584 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 1: telephone pole, and a rope. Right this way, the commissioner said, 585 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:50,280 Speaker 1: smiling coldly, All right, I think we know what's happening, 586 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:56,919 Speaker 1: and take us home. As the sun set, the vice 587 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 1: president of the Oak Grove Merchants Bank came up out 588 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 1: of the vault through the heavy time. Locks, put on 589 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:06,400 Speaker 1: his hat and coat, and hurried outside onto the sidewalk. 590 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,600 Speaker 1: Only a few people were there, hurrying home to dinner. 591 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,879 Speaker 1: Good night, the guard said, locking the door after him. 592 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: Good night. Clarence Mason murmured. He started along the street 593 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,240 Speaker 1: toward his car. He was tired. He had been working 594 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 1: all day down in the vault, examining the layout of 595 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 1: the safety deposit boxes to see if there was room 596 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,440 Speaker 1: for another tier. He was glad to be finished. At 597 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: the corner, he halted. The street lights had not yet 598 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,799 Speaker 1: come on. The street was dim. Everything was vague. He 599 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:40,080 Speaker 1: looked around and froze. From the telephone pole in front 600 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:44,000 Speaker 1: of the police station, something large and shapeless hung. It 601 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: moved a little with the wind. What the hell was it? 602 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 1: Mason approached it warily. He wanted to get home. He 603 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:54,400 Speaker 1: was tired and hungry. He thought of his wife, his kids, 604 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:56,960 Speaker 1: a hot meal on the dinner table. But there was 605 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: something about the dark bundle, something ominous and ugly. The 606 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:04,160 Speaker 1: light was bad. He couldn't tell what it was, yet 607 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: it drew him on, made a move closer for a 608 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 1: better look. The shapeless thing made him uneasy. He was 609 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:15,000 Speaker 1: frightened by it, frightened and fascinated. And the strange part 610 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 1: was that nobody else seemed to notice it. All right, 611 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: that's the Hanging Stranger by Philip K. Dick. Pretty good. 612 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:36,920 Speaker 1: Whether he was insane or not. I think the end 613 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:40,040 Speaker 1: proves that he was quite sane, and that he would 614 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:47,319 Speaker 1: just be the next victim. The bank manager. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 615 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:49,479 Speaker 1: Lewis was the next victim. He's part of a chain 616 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,360 Speaker 1: of bait, so I think he was saying, but he 617 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:58,960 Speaker 1: definitely killed another non possessed person with a rock. But 618 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:01,040 Speaker 1: I think though, because as he wasn't insane that his 619 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:05,400 Speaker 1: son was a human fly like the Cramp said, yeah, 620 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:10,880 Speaker 1: because he was. He was not insane, so what he 621 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: saw was real, which means that him seeing his sun 622 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:19,279 Speaker 1: flying around trying to sting him it was real. All right, 623 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:25,040 Speaker 1: what's your take? It was that what you said? Okay, see, 624 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 1: this is why we get along so well, Chuck. I 625 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:29,480 Speaker 1: gotta see this thing visually. Somebody needs to make this 626 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 1: into a short film. It would be a pretty good one, 627 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:36,399 Speaker 1: I think, And it's public dommain. I'm just saying, well, 628 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:40,000 Speaker 1: thank you very much everybody. Happy Halloween to you. Hopefully 629 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:43,000 Speaker 1: you enjoyed this. Sure it wasn't fact based. It was 630 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,319 Speaker 1: a little more fictitious than usual, but it is, after all, 631 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:50,520 Speaker 1: Halloween out there, yes for sure. Uh, And enjoy your 632 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,640 Speaker 1: trick or treating and your Halloween parties and bobbing for apples, 633 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:58,719 Speaker 1: and happy Halloween to everybody. Go enjoy this one of 634 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 1: the most greatest Hall of Days of all time. Stuff 635 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:06,440 Speaker 1: you should know is a production of iHeart Radios. How 636 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 1: Stuff Works. For more podcasts for my heart Radio, visit 637 00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:11,919 Speaker 1: the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen 638 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:12,840 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.